Product container strainer

ABSTRACT

A single use packing and dispensing technique includes a filter element as part of the packaging to permit a user to drain the packing fluid while retaining the primary package contents such as pickles, olives, canned vegetables, fruit, canned meats, poultry and fish. A strainer may be incorporated into any suitable aspect of the packaging along with a removable sealing element.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of copending U.S. Utility patentapplication Ser. No. 13/796,970 filed Mar. 12, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No.8,727,168 which is a continuation of copending U.S. Utility patentapplication Ser. No. 12/137,404 filed Jun. 11, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No.8,393,490, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patentapplication 60/934,204 filed Jun. 11, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS

The inventions described below relate the field of consumer productpackaging and more specifically to food packaging for products stored inliquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

Many people who prepare or serve food have experienced the difficulty ofopening a container of food that contains liquid packaging such aspickles, olives, canned vegetables, canned meats, poultry and fish andfaced the challenge of draining the liquid.

SUMMARY

A packing and dispensing technique according to the present disclosureincludes a filter element as part of the packaging to permit a user todrain the packing fluid while retaining the primary package contents.The strainer element is incorporated into any suitable surface of thepackaging and is sealed during processing. Opening or breaking thestrainer seal permits the packing fluid to be removed and the primarypackage contents to be retained in the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a product container including a strainerend.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a product strainer end and sealing element.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an alternate product strainer end and sealingelement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONS

Single use product container 10 of FIG. 1 is formed using container body12 and strainer end 13. Container body 12 is generally cylindrical witha sealed end 12B and an open end 12T fitted with strainer end 13.Strainer end 13 is shaped and sized similar to conventional can endswhich are generally roll-crimped or otherwise sealed to the can body.Strainer end 13 also includes strainer 17 occupying portion 14P ofremovable top 14. With strainer sealing element 15 in place on end 13,primary contents 22, such as pickles, olives or other contents andpacking fluid 20, may be secured, sealed and heat sterilized withinproduct container 10 using any suitable technique. Strainer end 13includes a pull ring or tab 18 for removing top 14 and strainer section17 as shown in FIG. 2. Strainer section 17 may occupy any suitableportion such as portion 14P of the removable lid and may include asuitable number of openings such as opening 24 which may adopt anysuitable shape such as, but not limited to, round, polygonal, ovoid, orcomplex. Strainer section 17 is sealed for distribution using anysuitable sealing element 15 that may have a tab or other suitablemechanism such as tab 16 for removal of the sealing element such assealing element 15.

In operation a user may grasp strainer tab 16 and pull to remove sealingelement 15. Product container 10 may then be oriented to permit packingliquid 20 to empty through strainer 17. Upon completion of the strainingof product container 10, a user may grasp pull tab 18 and lift and pullto remove top 14 from container body 12 along seal 13S permitting accessto primary contents 22. To expedite the draining process, pull tab 18may be used to break the seal along scored edge 13S and provide a ventfor introduction of air into the container and allow the packing liquidto drain faster.

Alternate strainer end 30 of FIG. 3, includes strainer 34 separate fromremovable top 32. Strainer 34 is sealed during manufacturing, shipping,and storage by sealing element 35. Pull tab 36 is secured to sealingelement 35 and is used to unseal the sealing element and remove thesealing element. Pull tab 38 is used to break the primary seal alongscore 30S and remove pull top 32.

Thus, while the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods havebeen described in reference to the environment in which they weredeveloped, they are merely illustrative of the principles of theinventions. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised withoutdeparting from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:
 1. In a product container having a container body with a sealedend and an open end and a sealing end secured to the open end, theimprovement comprising; a strainer formed in a portion of the sealingend; a pull top formed in a portion of the sealing end, the pull topdefined by a scored edge to enable removal of the pull top; a sealingelement, sealing the strainer; a first pull tab secured to the sealingelement for removing the sealing element from the strainer; and a secondpull tab secured to the pull top for removing the pull top.
 2. In aproduct container having a container body with a sealed end and an openend and a sealing end secured to the open end and a pull top formed inthe sealing end, the improvement comprising; a strainer formed in aportion of the pull top; a sealing element, sealing the strainer; afirst pull tab secured to the sealing element for removing the sealingelement from the strainer; and a second pull tab secured to the pull topfor removing the pull top.